Currently, radiopharmaceuticals, and particularly but not exclusively, those containing beta-emitting radioisotopes generally destined for infusion into patients, are contained in vials for intravenous injection, equipped with a hermetically sealed rubber cap through which the needle of a syringe is inserted for the extraction of the radiopharmaceutical to be injected or for its transfer elsewhere to a different receptacle, Traditionally, the radiopharmaceutical vials are in turn housed in a lead container.
This type of radioprotection using lead containers presents many drawbacks both from the point of view of storage and transportation of the radiopharmaceutical and from that of its subsequent handling for use. Lead containers are heavy, a factor which has a substantial adverse effect on the transportation and storage of the radiopharmaceutical. What is more, owing to their opacity, lead containers prevent visualisation of the contents of the radiopharmaceutical vial. The operator, in fact, has to open them to check their contents and state of conservation, check for any breakage of the vial with a major risk of contamination, and, if required, check the dose of radioactivity.
Moreover, in the administration of a radiopharmaceutical to a patient or when transferring it to another receptacle. The operator handling it or aspirating it with a syringe or some other device risks receiving a dose of radiation even as a result of contact with the radiopharmaceutical itself.
Another by no means negligible problem in intravenous infusion is that of accurately measuring the amount of radioactive substance infused. This problem was addressed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,189 granted to Feldschuh on Jan. 25, 1996. The aim of that patent was to provide a disposable set for administering a precise dose of radioactive substance to a subject with an accuracy of at least 99.9% by weight. Nevertheless, even if this objective is effectively achieved, the fact remains that according to the above-cited patent the vial of radioactive substance has to be handled with great care owing to the substantial risk to the operator.